The U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum's M274 A2 Mechanical Mule was manufactured in 1967 and came from Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow in California. The nomenclature for this vehicle is: “Truck, Platform, Utility, 1/2 ton 4x4” or "Carrier, Light Weapons, Infantry, half ton 4x4”. It is also known as the "Military Mule". It is a four-wheel-drive, four-wheel steering, gasoline powered vehicle that can carry as much as 1/2 ton off-road. The military used these vehicles from 1956 until the 1980s and there are some who say, had it been submitted in the initial Jeep trials in late 1940 it would have won, since it comes very close to the initial Jeep criteria which the actual Jeeps never met!